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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Tim McNulty

Hidden below the ruins of Yester Castle - Is Goblin Ha' the creepiest place in the Lothians?

Spookiness and strange goings-on have long been linked with the vast cavern hidden beneath the ruins of Yester Castle.

The castle was built in the village of Gifford, East Lothian, during the 13th century by Hugo de Gifford, nicknamed the "Wizard of Yester" by locals.

He was widely thought to be a necromancer who carried out arcane rituals in the subterranean hall.

Little remains of the castle today, but "Goblin Ha', or Hobgoblin Hall- as it is known - can still be visited by those looking to explore its mysterious past.

1. Mystery hiding below Yester Castle

Goblin Ha' lies underneath the ruins of Yester Castle in the village of Gifford, East Lothian (WikiCommons)

Goblin Ha' lies underneath the ruins of Yester Castle in the village of Gifford, East Lothian. Hidden in the woods, the ancient keep was built before 1297 by Sir Hugo - when he was not too busy dabbling in the dark arts.

2 Hobgoblin Hall

The hidden under-croft was said to be a place of dark magic and sorcery (Creative Commons)

The hidden undercroft was said to be a place of dark magic and sorcery. Legend says Sir Hugo entered into a sinister pact with the Devil. This act allowed him to summon an army of goblins, who helped their master construct the underground hall.

3. Sinister staircase

Ancient stone stairs lead down to the 'Goblin Ha' (Creative Commons)

Ancient stone stairs lead down to the 'Goblin Ha' along a cramped staircase descending ominously into darkness. Those who go down the narrow passageway tend to be moving a little quicker on their way back up.

4.  Eerie entrance

The vaulted entrance to the hidden chambers below Yester Castle (WikiCommons)

The vaulted entrance to the hidden chambers below Yester Castle resembles something out of horror classic The Blair Witch project.

5. Hellish headroom

Little remains of the castle but mysterious crypt remains largely intact (Creative Commons)
Little remains of the castle but the mysterious crypt remains largely intact. Standing at not much more than 5ft in height, this water-logged corridor just serves to add more weight to the legend of the goblin workforce summoned to build the castle.
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